Escapologist David Blaine says he is working on his last ever stunt – as he wants to retire next year at 52, the age his hero Harry Houdini died.

American Blaine’s feats include encasing himself in ice for 63 hours and submersing himself in water for a week.

But he says he doesn’t want to ‘break’ and is ‘superstitious’ about doing stunts when older than his inspiration Houdini, so will return to doing close up magic.

Houdini survived being buried under 6ft of earth and leaping off bridges while shackled – but died of peritonitis in Detroit in 1926.

Speaking on the Where Everybody Knows Your Name podcast, Blaine, 51 said: ‘I’m very superstitious, Harry Houdini who has always been my favourite and a big inspiration died when he was 52.

‘He stayed very fit, he was rock solid, and he had done the water tank on stage, collapsed, because he didn’t want to disappoint the audience even though he had severe stomach pains and he was rushed to hospital and died.

David Blaine has announced he is working on his last ever stunt, as he prepares to step back next year at 52

Blaine says he is superstitious about performing stunts older than his inspiration Harry Houdini (pictured), who died aged 52

Blaine performing a trick at the Boodles Boxing Ball in 2019 in London

‘I’ve always thought 52 should be the mark, you don’t want to push until you break, I have a few more years of pushing and then I’m going to shift to what people like to see me do more which is magic and bringing that to kids in hospitals which I love doing, you get the best reactions.

‘I love pushing myself but I don’t want to push myself to the point you actually break.

‘There’s one stunt that I’m highly intimidated by but I’m working diligently on putting it together, it’ll be my final thing, secretive.

‘There’s one that’s a culmination of everything I’ve ever done that I’m obsessed with but it’s a pretty over the top ambitious idea so I’m trying to put it together and it will be my last one before I move on to card tricks.’